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clomid and endometriosis, bad idea??

Hi All,

Just wondering if there's anyone here who has endometriosis who has taken clomid? Did it work or did it make your endometriosis worse?

A bit of background context, especially as I seem to be doing everything backward!! Diagnosed with endo when I was 22 (now 33). Initially had laps etc... didn't really pay too much attention until I met my husband when I was 28. Have now been trying to conveive since May 2008. Had further Lap in 2009 which showed endo too extensive to be treated then and had full laparotomy in Feb 2010. In Dec 2010 my consultant reccommended going straight to IVF. As it wasn't being offered on NHS in my area at that time I bit the bullet and went private. I had 2 failed cycles the last of which was in May this year. I never had a fantastic response, 5 eggs first time and 7 second when they lowered my down regulation dose, but they all fertilised.

After that I decided I needed a break, it had been a whirlwind year, what with the surgery and 2 cycles, and to be honest I now feel it all went too fast. It felt like one minute I was being referred and the next it was all over. IVF has become available on the NHS again and I have had my first appointment with my consultant, he wants more scans etc.. which is a pain but as my other ones are more than 6 months old I understand why. In the meantime he has given me 2 months worth of clomid to try after I've had my baseline scan and am waiting for my follow up. I got the distinct impression that it was to be seen to be doing something rather than because he thought it would actually work. From what I understand about clomid I think he may be right as as far as I am aware I've never had a problem ovulating and my IVF doctor said that even though my HSG was clear, in bad cases of endo your tubes simply don't work! ( I have stage 4).

I've since had a quick read about endo and clomid and have found conflicting views, I've read that clomid can help because it encourages ovaries that have been affected by endo to produce more follicles but also that clomid can make endo worse - something to do with oestrogen??

I'm really just looking for some feedback from anyone who has endo who has also had some experience with clomid, even if they chose not to take it if offered. At the moment I'm thinking I'll try it, not so much much because I'm holding out hope that it will work but more because at this point I'll try anything! but I don't want to do that at the expense of further complications down the line, especially if it's probably not going to work.

I don't know if this helps but I have had endo in the past, I just have scarring now, no active areas (touch wood). I'm just starting clomid this cycle, I guess there is a chance that it could cause a flare up, but I'm risking it. I think that if your consultant has suggested clomid it is worth a try, I believe even in cases where someone ovulates it can be worth taking as it seems to increase fertilty. I can understand your concern, can you speak to your consultant or your GP about it to give you a bit of advice?

Good luck with your decision

RM
x

Beautiful boy born in January 2007
TTC second since March 2009
Luteal phase defect - 4 rounds clomid
BFP 14.2.2012 - 2 beautiful heartbeats seen EDD 22nd Oct - Its a boy and a girl!

Thanks for the reply. I don't have a follow up until Feb next year, and that's only with the registrar, the consultant was fully booked for ages! I've been thinking about it and, like you, think I will take the risk. I have my baseline scan on Thursday so could start next cycle in November. If my endo is the main issue behind my infertility then I don't suppose clomid can make it any worse, if my tubes don't work then they don't work and IVF will be the only way. At least this way I will at least feel like I'm actively doing something, I don't feel normal now unless I'm charting, monitoring or recording something I've also started having acupuncture which I'm hoping to continue through IVF if/when I next start as I found someone who specialises in infertility. As I have a low AMH I may ask her about chinese herbal medicine which she also does and she is happy to do as long as I'm not actually having IVF. We shall see.

I truly hope you have success with clomid this cycle and that you get a BFP

I was always told I O'd okay, my LP was a bit hit and miss and used to be about 9-11 days. After my initial endo diagnosis we moved and I got a new consultant, she found I had far more endo than previously thought plus it was covering both ovaries which she removed using diathermy leaving the rest of my endo to deal with later. 5 months after that op I got naturally pg with our DD1.

I think taking clomid could help, although it's sometimes thought to make endo worse if I were in your shoes I think I'd want to try it.

Congratulations on your success after surgery, unfortunately I am not in the same boat. The reason I had to have full lap is because both ovaries were adhered to my uterus and the endo extended quite far down under and behind my uterus especially into the pouch of Douglas (something to do with the bowel). They were actually worried that it had infiltrated and that I might end up with a colostomy afterwards. Thankfully I didn't need that and my bowel wasn't involved, both ovaries were affected and they reconstructed the right one. Afterward I was really panicking beause I read that ovaries that have been operated on sometimes don't respond as well to IVF. Weirdly enough my right ovary was the better responder, my left did hardly anything at all. I think I got most, if not all, my eggs from the right. although when they were doing my scans they could still still endo pockets on them, and that was only 6 months after the surgery. I really wish now that my consultant when I was 22 had focused more on the risk of infertility and suggested something like BCP or something. 'protecting my fertility' didn't seem a reality to me then especially when he didn't suggest further treatment or follow up. Oh well...

Keeping my fingers crossed for myself and everyone else in the hope that we ALL get our BFP.

Thanks for the input, and you're right. At the end of the day I know I'm going to try it, it might work and I'd be forever wondering 'what if' if I didn't take it. Why is nothing ever easy????

This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "Sedgie" (Nov 2nd 2011, 4:36pm)